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'Shazam' Not Like Other DC Comics Movies, No Ties to 'Justice League'

Just yesterday, Dwayne Johnson finally made the choice to play the villainous anti-hero Black Adam in the DC Comics adaptation Shazam. And while fans have been excited to see how this character will tie into Justice League and everything else that's coming after Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, they might end up being slightly disappointed. You see, Shazam will be a New Line Cinema production, and while they call Warner Bros. their home, their head honcho Toby Emmerich has revealed that it won't be in line with what Zack Snyder and the studio are doing with the other DC Comics properties coming soon. Read on!

"It feels to me like like 'Shazam' will have a tone unto itself. It's a DC comic, but it's not a Justice League character, and it's not a Marvel comic. The tone and the feeling of the movie will be different from the other range of comic book movies."

And if you need more clarification, Emmerich adds the film will "have a sense of fun and a sense of humor." And if the rumors about Warner Bros. wanting to keep the humor in their films to a minimum is true, then that makes perfect sense. While it's a shame that Johnson won't end up in the DC Comics cinematic universe, it's probably for the better. While Johnson has proven to be a valuable commodity in reviving franchises like Fast & Furious and G.I. Joe, those are silly, mindless action flicks, whereas the path Warner Bros. has for the comic book films seems to have a bit more substance and more serious drama. So Shazam will have a much different style and no ties to Justice League. Is that okay?

Reader Feedback - 43 Comments

1

WOW... As a fan of DC heroes, I think this is a terrible call. I would have loved to seen Black Adam as a villain for the Justice League or have Shazam go toe to toe with Superman like in the Justice League cartoon. This is upsetting and I strongly dislike and disapprove of this decision.

Roderick on Sep 4, 2014

2

Fail. At least marvel has a reason why spidey and wolvie can't join the universe this is just stupid

Robert Walker on Sep 4, 2014

3

Why is all Marvel Studios news awesome, and all DC/WB news totally lame?

TheOct8pus on Sep 4, 2014

4

Because one studio knows what it is doing and the other does not.

Brian Sleider on Sep 4, 2014

5

Man! You'd think they'd try to replicate the success of their direct competitors by copying what they do. Instead, they act like Marvel doesn't exist...

TheOct8pus on Sep 4, 2014

6

I don't think they act like Marvel does not exist, but they instead cower in the corner. I understand the need not to copy Marvel too much, but for God's sake, show some common sense Warner Brothers!

Christopher Roberts on Sep 4, 2014

7

Lol YES! Spot on Oct8pus! I get so pumped about to read a Marvel related article, but DC articles, I'm like "meh...maybe later".

JBrotsis on Sep 4, 2014

8

Finally! Someone who talks sense.

Rock n Rollllll on Sep 4, 2014

9

Pretty sure Marvel just released a trailer for a kid-friendly movie of one of their properties totally unrelated to the MCU.

OfficialJab on Sep 5, 2014

10

Yes. You're referring to Big Hero 6. It's an animated movie based on a newer Marvel property. Although it doesn't tie in, it looks really good. Technically, Marvel Studios is not 100% involved with production on that one. It's actually a Disney Animation production, so they're taking a few liberties.
Still, the news of Big Hero 6 is fun and exciting, whereas DC hasn't come up with anything nearly as fun as this recently.

TheOct8pus on Sep 5, 2014

11

Well no one knows if Shazam will be fun or not, we're just taking it as awful news that it's not being blended with the other properties.

I like how he feels he has to explain that this is not a "Marvel movie".
This is a missed opportunity to tease the possibility of having Shazam go up against Superman one day. It's also the lazy way out - they don't have to worry about writing a movie that ties in with Justice League or lives in the same world.

CoosCoos on Sep 4, 2014

14

...and the final result risks being a generic origins story instead of part of a greater universe.

TheOct8pus on Sep 4, 2014

15

I think you're missing the point. Shazam WOULDN'T go up against Superman. He's a twelve year old kid, and he idolizes Superman.
Whereas the Batman vs. Superman actually has some merit and grounding considering they've gone up against each other in various situations before, the Captain Marvel v. Superman fights are usually when one or the other is mentally incapacitated (aka brainwashed) in some way, and the other is trying to take them down so that they avoid hurting themselves and other people (and other things they might regret later). As far as I'm aware, the only real fight they've had is in the JLU cartoon where their differing ideas about Lex Luthor's rehabilitation eventually lead to an all-out brawl. Usually they get along famously, even to the point where Clark was Billy's mentor when he learned his true age.
What they're missing is not an opportunity to have Captain Marvel and Superman duke it out in the future; what they're missing is an opportunity to have him join the Justice League (in the sequel) and be an awesome supporting character who loves being a superhero and idolizes the superheroes he works with in the way a twelve-year-old does but can also be serious and genuinely want to help people.

Mercy Grant on Sep 4, 2014

16

You say "I think you're missing the point. Shazam WOULDN'T go up against Superman. He's a twelve year old kid, and he idolizes Superman."
I don't think you've seen any comics, movies or shows with Shazam, then. Because he is ALWAYS at odds with Superman. One of Justice League's best episodes was an all-out battle royal between these two. While their morality is aligned, their methods are at odds.

CoosCoos on Oct 6, 2014

17

I don't think it makes much sense to not have this Shazam film be part of the greater DCU. I mean...just...why?
I get that Shazam might be a little bit of a 'sillier' concept...having a magic lightning bolt that turns a kid into a superhero doesn't exactly feel 100% consistent with the Nolan-lite "grounded" approach of MOS...but still, I feel like they could/should make it work.
A Shazam standalone movie isn't all that exciting...half of the fun comes from the fact that it would be part of the MOS-BvS continuity and help build to the Justice League film.

Chris Groves on Sep 4, 2014

18

I see what you mean about the "silly" concept of Shazam versus the angsty, serious Nolan/Batman, Snyder/Superman world, but come on! The new Bats Vs Supes has Aquaman in it!

TheOct8pus on Sep 4, 2014

19

They've addressed that he's going to be toe-to-toe as strong as they are. I'm thinking there will be little involvement of his power to control sea life also..

OfficialJab on Sep 5, 2014

20

Yeah this is a huge misstep. Hopefully they will hear our cries and reverse this decision.

DAVIDPD on Sep 4, 2014

21

They can make anything work, should they want to and should they be willing to expend the effort. Shazam doesn't interest me. I'm not six years old. But look at Superman and Thor. There's enough silliness about Thor for sure. But they deal with it explaining the magic as advanced tech. Problem solved. That could be done with anything. And nothing prevents movie makers from tweaking the original material. Sometimes it needs to be tweaked. They still haven't got Superman right. The glasses can't hide him. And they ignore it, needlessly. They got the Hulk right and then said "Nah" and kept trying different things. The nano meds explained Hulk's healing power and strength. I liked it. Then they went so far the other way, Hulk wasn't the Hulk anymore. Edward Norton's Hulk didn't look like the original (which looked fine) and was susceptible to cuts and bruises. I'm essentially jobless. Pay me what you pay those suits doing all that crap and I promise, I'll make you happier than they do. Although the CIA might never permit me anyway near one of their propaganda organs.

Why not? Probably because the WB/DC folks are clueless on how to compete against Marvel and do not want to been seen as copying.

Brian Sleider on Sep 4, 2014

24

Sounds like a losing effort already...... Sad..

Futbol_Skillz on Sep 4, 2014

25

Dont quite understand this approach but its way too early to assume judgement.

Rock n Rollllll on Sep 4, 2014

26

This is why a DC Studios needs to be created and filled with people who know and love the material, like Geoff Johns, and the only part WB will play is the distribution part, much like the way Disney distributes Marvel Studios' films and basically gives them free reign on they own IPs.

Mike Oxafloppin on Sep 4, 2014

27

What creators do is what creators do. It's not up to us to decide whether it's okay. Whether those projects are okay, as in good,we 'can' say, but only once we've seen them. Sometimes, as we learn details about an upcoming movie, including who will fill certain roles, we have opinions. And if the movie is a continuation of something, we will have even more opinions because we will have more information. I'm not thrilled about Ben Affleck being chosen as Batman for two reasons. One, Bale was perfect and even if he personally was not a choice or not interested, someone older and more grizzled than Superman is what the doctor ordered here. It's not all about muscle. Two, I dislike Ben's love of the CIA too much to see past it. I'll be seeing the movie, but it won't change my mind about that. As for Henry Cavill as Superman, I am fine with him. But the Superman he protrays is twisted. He's dorky (So that we will choose to not expect too much? That would make the producers' job easier.) and may seem like a perfectly nice guy, but he stood there and watched his father die for no good reason. If it was all real, it would never have happened. To protect his identity? Which he then hides with - wait for it - glasses? They are having fun at our expense folks. At the least.
Dwayne Johnson doesn't make a movie what it is. The writer (s), producer and directors make a movie what it is. True, Some actors naturally fill some roles better than others. (Tom Cruise was mis-cast as the vampire Lestat, but was perfect in Vanilla Sky and Eyes Wide Shut.) But there is no real reason Dwayne Johnson can't be used in a big Avengers movie or some other big production. It's a choice made by suits, who know doubt believe fiercely in their own gifts, that determines such things and there's nothing that ripped off consumers of entertainment can do about it.

Besides the Batman VS. Superman showdown, it is the Superman VS. SHAZAM beatdown. This is a damn shame. A SHAME I TELL YOU!

DAVIDPD on Sep 4, 2014

30

Bout to say the same thing, Supes taking on Black Adam....hoo-lee shit that would have been number 1! Now all I see is the Tooth Fairy all over again.

mooreworthy on Sep 4, 2014

31

I wouldn't go that far. But I think not blended the universes is a large mistake.

DAVIDPD on Sep 4, 2014

32

Best news I've heard all week. Billy Batson/Captain Marvel is SUPPOSED to be fun and ridiculous; it's not supposed to be dark and serious like the stuff Warner Bros is putting out. I am surprised and a bit concerned about their decision to not have an integrated universe though.
But Johnson is going to be absolutely fabulous as Black Adam.

Mercy Grant on Sep 4, 2014

33

Noooo, lets make everything dark, broody and Nolanized (as much as I like his movies). I can't wait for "my little pony rises"

Norbert on Sep 5, 2014

34

It won't be like other DC movies?
You mean it won't SUCK GIANT FUCKING COCK like Man of Steel or Green Lantern?

Jon Holden on Sep 4, 2014

35

Haha!

TheOct8pus on Sep 5, 2014

36

He is though... in the New 52, JLA issues... Crisis on Infinite Earths, Justice League proper in the late 80s and 90s. I guess they're just trying to create a vacuum where they can really explore (their interpretation of) Shazam. But I think that might be a mistake. Its one thing having it be some-what independent to the Justice League and the running narrative, but it sounds like they want it as a completely different entity; cut off from the larger world...

T. Hakeem on Sep 5, 2014

37

That is not okay. Not at all. DC will now have 3 separate simultaneous present-day universes happening at the same time. Normally I'd make a multiverse comment here but there's not multiple versions of the same hero in each respective universe. This sucks.

The Hooded Vigilante on Sep 5, 2014

38

Just because he said Shazam isn't a "Justice League character" doesn't mean he doesn't exist in the same universe... The only way it is not a part of the Cinematic canon, is if it does very poorly.

Raffaello A-r on Sep 5, 2014

39

Haha haha haha. ....was my first thought. Then I said wtf, at least put him in the same universe with your heavy hitters. Each Marvel movie has a different tone. Sheesh. Must they all be heroically depressing.

Warsun on Sep 5, 2014

40

Nothing there reads that shazam will never meet show up in a shared universe. All the quotes being read way too literally. I believe he's just off doing his own thing when justice league comes around. Besides having a different tone doesn't mean different universe all together. The rock himself mentioned he wanted to play a character that can throw down with superman. Foreshadowing? I dunno but fun to imagine either way.